The use of locationing technology is expanding in local area environments, such as a retail environment, a factory environment, a warehouse environment, etc. In addition, there are a variety of different locationing technologies available (e.g. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), ultrasonic signals, RF signals, video, etc.) that can be used for different purposes. These different purposes can result in the need for incorporating combinations of these different locationing technologies within the same environment. However, some of these locationing technologies can be bulky, and providing independent installation of each locationing technology could end up duplicating other systems, such as supplying separate network communication infrastructure for each locationing technology.
As a result, in a commercial environment there may be several different locationing technologies being used, each using their own network communication infrastructure. For example, in a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) application, fixed RFID readers may be mounted overhead (e.g., ceiling mounted) in several positions and orientations throughout the environment, in order to read and locate any RFID tag within the environment. Also, in an ultrasonic locationing system, fixed ultrasonic emitters may be mounted overhead (e.g., ceiling mounted) in several positions throughout the environment, in order to locate and track any mobile device within the environment. These overhead configurations offer several advantages such as fewer physical signal obstructions, ease of access to wiring in a ceiling, tamper resistance, safety, and the like. Each of these applications can require multiple antennas/emitters and circuitry housings disposed throughout the environment. Therefore, it can be desirable to combine the network infrastructure for different locationing systems into a common housing or into other available housings such as video cameras, etc. However, such combinations have disadvantages.
For example, combining different locationing systems into a common housing will increase the size of the housing, making installation more difficult and appearing more obtrusive. In particular, in order to get full 360 degree coverage, an RFID locationing device can use eight RFID antennas distributed outwardly every 45 degrees around a circle. Whereas an ultrasonic locationing system can use four ultrasonic emitters, positioned and oriented every 90 degrees around a circle. Because an oversized combined product is obviously undesirable, a compact mechanical package combining these two technologies is desirable, and any opportunity to combine the two in a shared space would be of benefit.
Accordingly, there is a need for a technique to physically combine different locationing technologies that overcome the aforementioned limitations.
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The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.